Centro
It is the most frequented area. It has become pedestrianized and is characterized by its numerous businesses, many of which are centuries old, with Calle Serpies as its main thoroughfare. You will be able to walk around this vast area, noting the Jesuit temple of the Anunciación, the church of San Antonio Abab, the chapel of San José, the parish of Divino Salvador or the church of the Magdalena. The Plaza de la Encarnación, from where many city buses leave, is now home to the Metropol Parasol, popularly called the setas in homage to its shape, which is a good viewpoint over the city, whatever one thinks of this building whose construction has been punctuated by many controversies. Some emblematic neighborhoods of the city center:
Alfafa. This very pleasant, popular neighborhood begins at the Puerta de la Carne (Meat Gate), where the old slaughterhouses were located. It retains a great deal of charm and authenticity, thanks to its urban fabric, which has kept its Moorish and medieval patterns, mixed with princely and religious architecture from the 17th to the 19th century. Until recently, a Sunday animal market was held here, which has disappeared due to pedestrianization and avian flu.
San Lorenzo and San Vicente. These two neighborhoods are two real terraces on the Guadalquivir River, facing the island of La Cartuja. They date back to medieval times and flourished during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. They include the Museum of Fine Arts housed in the former convent of La Merced, the Veracruz church with its Baños de la Reina Mora (Baths of the Arab Queen), the convent of Santa Rosalia, the monastery of Santa Clara and close to the Alameda de Hércules, which attracts an alternative youth at night
Santa Cruz
The quintessence of the image that the world has of Seville, the Judería, the old Jewish quarter, which is much more limited than what it originally was, offers itself as a labyrinth in which the traveler can satisfy his curiosity in a playful way. There is no recommended itinerary, but there are places that deserve a hazardous search. This is the Sevillian district and the district of monuments par excellence, at least in the minds of tourists. It includes the Cathedral, the Giralda, the Archive of the Indies and the Reales Alcázares, representative of the Andalusian style. In this maze of alleys, the pretty patios and small squares let us glimpse, at random, the intimacy of beautiful flowered and whitewashed houses, with wrought iron windows and solid wood doors, and squares covered with orange trees that embrace the spring.. The Plaza de Santa Cruz gives its name to the neighborhood, for the beautiful cross that stands there; the Plaza de los Venerables is covered with terraces, cafes and taverns; the Plaza de Doña-Elvira, with its azulejos and orange trees, is one of the most romantic places in the neighborhood; in the Plaza de los Refinadores stands the statue of a famous character of literature and Seville: Don Juan Tenorio.
Well south of Santa Cruz, the María Luisa neighborhood is centered around the largest green space in Seville, which is mainly composed of the María Luisa Park, donated in 1893 by the Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Orleans. The entire area was redeveloped for the Iberian-American Exposition of 1929, and it is clear that the gardens and pavilions have stood the test of time better than those of the 1992 World's Fair, located north of Triana.
El Arenal
Another popular neighborhood of Seville, El Arenal was built on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, around the Plaza de Toros and the bullring of the Real Maestranza. In the past, boats were made and repaired here. This neighborhood got its name from this function: port of stranding; Arena meaning "sand". The neighborhood was subject to the regular flooding of the river, and the Paseo del Arenal, created in the 16th century, was the site of the meetings of the Sevillian gangs of thugs in the picaresque works of the writer Lope de Vega. Today, you can stroll along the promenade along the banks of the Guadalquivir River and admire Triana or the famous Torre del Oro (Gold Tower). The neighborhood includes the Seville Bullring, the Hospital of Charity and the modern La Maestranza Theater.
The macarena and the Alameda
In this guide, the Macarena neighborhood includes the Alameda de Hércules (with its peaceful plaza of the same name) and San Vicente neighborhoods, and extends to the river, Avenida de Torneo. In these authentic and traditional neighborhoods separated by Calle Feria, convents, monasteries and churches are scattered here and there. You can discover the convent of Santa Paula, the churches of San Marcos and San Pedro.
La Macarena, starting after the Plaza de los Terceros (in the Centro) and extending to the Andalusian Parliament, has preserved a good popular flavor and some remnants of the walls of Seville; above all, it is home to one of the most venerated images of the city: The Virgin of Macarena! Calle San Luis or the very commercial Calle Feria (with its market on Thursdays and its cute little halls where you can have a snack), are dotted with tapas bars and stalls with old-fashioned charm.
The Alameda owes its name to the many poplars that grow there (alamo in Spanish). Two gigantic Roman columns stand in the square. One of them bears the statue of Hercules who, according to legend, was the founder of the city. Here the baroque classicism of the city and the avant-garde trends are mixed. The visitor is immersed in a mystical and bohemian atmosphere where life is good. If the streets are very quiet during the day, the evening is a different story... At nightfall, everyone gathers around the square to party. Public concerts are often held in the open air and the terraces of the bars are always crowded. Since these two neighborhoods are less touristy than the Centro and Santa Cruz, prices in restaurants, rare accommodations and stores are sometimes lower. During your visit, you will find original stores that will arouse the curiosity of shopping addicts
, especially in the streets Amor de Dios and Trajano.Los remedios and Triana
The name of the Triana neighborhood comes from its location at the confluence of three rivers (ana), or from "Trajana", in honor of the Roman emperor Trajan, born in Itálica. Its special charm is worth visiting slowly. On the west bank of the Guadalquivir, Triana has such a personality that its inhabitants prefer to be called Trianeros rather than Sevillenos. In fact, they say, "I'm going to Seville," when they have to cross the Triana Bridge (or Isabel II Bridge). This neighborhood has been the birthplace of bullfighters, tonadilleras (folk singers) and flamenco singers, and of historical figures such as Rodrigo de Triana who accompanied Columbus on his discovery of America. As well as the sailors, potters, alfareros. The spontaneity and joie de vivre of its inhabitants can be seen at every corner. On Calle Pureza, the Chapel of the Sailors houses the Virgin of Hope of Triana, which during Holy Week is out on Thursday nights, along with the Virgin of the Macarena. Calle San Jorge still has some ceramic workshops and stores; the next one has pretty white patios with flowers. Calle Pages del Corro, once housed the firemen of the Guardia Civil, as well as a gypsy community. Finally, Calle Betis, on the banks of the Guadalquivir, is an exception with its terraces and restaurants filled with tourists who love to immerse themselves in its special atmosphere.
The Los Remedios neighborhood is one of the largest in the city. It is located on the same side as the Triana neighborhood, in the west of the city, and is bounded on the north by the Triana barrio and on the east by the river (between the San Telmo bridge and the Los Remedios bridge). To the south is the feria de Abril. Its main avenues are: Avenida de la República Argentina, Calle de Asunción, Calle de Virgen de Luján, Calle Santa Fe, Calle Juan Sebastián Elcano and Calle Fernando IV. Its points of interest are: the Park of the Príncipes, the Real de la feria de Abril, the Carruajes museum, the Torre de Los Remedios.
The Isla de la Cartuja is the site of the 1992 Exposition, and its futuristic pavilions have been converted into offices. The Junta de Andalucía's parliament, the Isla Mágica theme park, and the La Cartuja monastery, where the Andalusian Center for Contemporary Art is located. Since 2016, it is also home to the Torre de Sevilla complex, which includes the Pelli Tower, over 180 meters high, the highest point in Andalusia.
